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Maryam Abacha, widow of Nigeria’s former military head of state, General Sani Abacha, says the long-running narrative of her husband looting Nigeria is unfair and unsupported by evidence. In a rare TV interview, she insisted that Abacha protected Nigeria’s money and accused successive governments of mismanaging funds he left behind.
  • No proof of looting, she claimed: “Where’s the signature? Where’s the evidence?”
  • Over $3.6 billion linked to Abacha has been recovered by Nigeria from foreign countries.
  • She blamed successive administrations for the disappearance of funds allegedly stashed by her husband.
  • On June 12, 1993, annulment, Maryam insisted Abacha wasn’t responsible.
  • She also criticised the media and Nigerians for accepting official narratives “without questioning.
Maryam Abacha’s defiant defence isn’t new, but it comes at a time when recovered loots remain under scrutiny, and public trust in leadership is still fragile. Her interview attempts to reframe history, but for many Nigerians, the Abacha name remains synonymous with state capture, not stewardship.

“Twenty-seven years later, and you’re still talking about Abacha? He must have been very powerful and loved,” she said.

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